‘Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – A Glossy Hollywood Creation For A Martial Arts Icon

Based on true events, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is the incredible journey of the life, love and unconquerable spirit of the martial arts legend. From a childhood of rigorous martial arts training, Lee realizes his dream of opening his own kung fu school in America. Before long, he is discovered by a Hollywood producer (Robert Wagner) and begins a meteoric rise to fame and an all-too-short reign as one of the most charismatic action heroes in motion picture history. Jason Scott Lee and Lauren Holly star in this “immeasurably entertaining movie” (CBS-TV) ablaze with comedy, touching romance and spectacular martial arts sequences.

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Video Quality

Shout! Studios presents Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story with a stellar 2160p transfer in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. The film was first released by Universal on Blu-Ray a decade ago in 2015 from a dated master. Universal used to be a bit inconsistent when it came to their catalog titles, so this comes as a welcome upgrade for fans of the film. You can safely get rid of your old Blu-Ray discs as this new presentation finally treats the film with respect. Even if you are not yet 4K UHD capable, this new release comes with a Blu-Ray sourced from the same 4K master. 

The utilization of Dolby Vision/HDR for resplendent color output elevates things to truly fetching levels with its depth and nuance. Black levels are in great shape with nothing in the way of crush or banding present even in the shadows of the frame. Audiences will now witness enhanced shadow detail with outlines properly represented instead of blending into the background. Highlights are likewise steadfast with no evidence of blooming. This disc handles every slight environmental change with ease. There are no serious digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances.

Detail and clarity are first-rate thanks to the glorious natural film grain that remains intact. The grain resolves consistently with nothing ever feeling noisy. The image does not exhibit any specks of damage thanks to the remastering. The texture on display in the outfits and within the production design is one of the most impressive elements of this image. This presentation is authentic to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more textured. This presentation is a dazzling effort from the team at Shout! Studios.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that delivers everything you want from the experience. The stirring Randy Edelman score has never sounded more full of life as it skillfully establishes the mood of the story. There is never any concern that it will drown out competing sounds, and it maintains a capable balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. There do not seem to be any unexpected instances of age-related wear and tear. The soundscape executes the sound design elements with ease. These tracks provide a sonic experience that perfectly captures the artistic intent with a fidelity that never stumbles. Environmental sounds are perfectly represented in the surrounds. Shout! Studios has treated this one very well. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Director Rob Cohen provides a steady commentary track in which he discusses the development of the story, bringing this legend to life on screen, the production design, working with the performers, and much more that works well. 

• Archival Introduction from Linda Lee Cadwell: A seven-minute piece in which Bruce Lee’s widow discusses the creation of the film. 

• The Making of Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story: A nearly seven-minute archival featurette in which various creatives provide interviews to discuss the creation of this journey. 

• Behind-The-Scenes Footage: A five-minute fly-on-the-wall look at the production of the film. 

• Jason Scott Lee Screen Test: A four-minute look at the screen test of the eventual star of the film.

• Bruce Lee Interview: A seven-minute archival interview of the real-life Bruce Lee discussing some of his projects and his overall career. 

• Storyboards

• Production Photo Gallery

• Bruce Lee Photo Gallery

• Theatrical Trailers (3:24)

Final Thoughts

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is never going to be accused of being the ultimate encapsulation of its titular subject, but as a largely fictional piece of Hollywood entertainment, it is pretty engaging and moving in some respects. The film mostly avoids the toughest moments of his life, or at least handles them with a soft touch that maintains a positive outlook. The performances here are perfectly serviceable for what they are asked to do, and the movie clips along at a good pace. Shout! Studios has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that sports a wonderful A/V presentation and a fine assortment of supplemental features. If you have an appreciation for this film, don’t pass this one up now that it finally has a standout presentation. Recommended 

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.